Franklin dropped me off at my friend’s house. I stood on the sidewalk, feeling numb. So much had happened so quickly that I was having a hard time coming to terms with all of it.

Taking a deep breath, I walked up to the door and knocked. After all, what else was I supposed to do? I was already here anyway.

A few seconds later, Lisa answered, looking down at me with a confused expression on her face. “Stacey? What are you doing here?”

“Um… they’re fumigating the apartment complex… do you mind if I stay here for a few days?”

“Oh! Sure. I wish you had called first, but yes, yes, please come in.” She ushered me in. “Missy has gotten big, hasn’t she?” She started to coo over the baby, speaking in a high-pitched voice and making funny faces. “Jacob is doing well. His teeth are starting to come in, so he’s a bit fussy.”

“I’m sure you’re handling it well. You were always better cut out for motherhood than I ever was.”

“Nonsense. I’m sure you’re a great mother!” she chimed, heading into the kitchen and putting the kettle on. “You still a fan of Earl Grey?”

I nodded.

“Great. Since Jacob was born, I haven’t had much time to hang out. This might be a good change of pace for us. Why don’t you put Missy to bed and we can catch up?”

“Okay.” Lisa had an actual nursery for her child, complete with elephant wallpaper. A spark of jealousy flared inside of me. In comparison, she had the perfect life. A loving husband, a steady job, and a cute dog.

Meanwhile, I was living in a whirlwind of chaos, just trying to stay on my feet.

I didn’t know what to do. On one hand, I couldn’t quite accept that Emil was as evil as he seemed to have become. On the other, I had fallen for Ned, the superior man, the one who would treat me right and protect me. I couldn’t just sit here and drink tea with my friend. There had to be something I could do.

Back in the kitchen, Lisa was setting out a platter of cheese and crackers. “Oh, you’re back. That was quick. Is she an easy sleeper? At that age, Jacob always gave me such a hard time. So energetic. Kept me up until dawn most nights.” She spoke with adoration, her eyes shining brightly.

“I need to go.”

“Oh?” Her brows furrowed with confusion. “But you just got here? Where on Earth are you going?”

“Look, I just need you to take care of Missy for a little while. Can you do that for me?”

“I mean… of course, but where are you going?”

“I can’t explain.” I hugged her tightly before I ran out the door.

Down the street, I spotted Franklin’s car. I marched right up to it and plopped myself into the passenger seat. “Take me to him.”

His eyes widened with surprise. “What are you doing?”

“Take me to him,” I repeated.

“You know I can’t do that. It’s not safe.”

“If you don’t take me, I’ll just call a cab. I can’t let Ned get himself killed for my sake. I need to put a stop to this. It all happened because of me, and I’m going to put an end to it.”

Franklin sighed. “Women,” he mumbled under his breath but nonetheless started the car.

As he drove, all I could think about was Ned. Our time together had been amazing, and despite the fact that the setting, circumstance, and timing were all wrong, I didn’t regret it.

* * *

Soon enough, we arrived. “I’m going to go inside in case they need my help. I want you to stay in the park. There’s plenty of witnesses where you should be safe. Don’t leave, got it?”

I nodded. “I won’t.”

“Good. Your life may very well depend on it.” He made sure that I was sitting down before he disappeared into the pub.

My eyes were glued to the door, and my heart was beating fast, prepared for the worst.

All of a sudden, someone sat down beside me.

It was a woman. She was dressed all in black, her hair cropped, with a ring hanging on her upper lip. “Hey,” she said with the gravelly voice of a smoker.

If I had to be honest, she scared me. I inched away slightly.

“You’re Stacey, aren’t you?”

My eyes widened. “How do you know my name?”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said mysteriously, her face expressionless.

Goosebumps ran along my arm, making me shiver. I had the urge to get up and run as fast as I could, but what good would that do me?

“F-From who?”

“Emil.”

The name struck me like a bullet through the heart. How did this woman know about Emil? Could it be that she was his new lover? My replacement?

My heart tightened at the thought.

She chuckled. “He’s a dick, isn’t he?”

“Huh?”

“He loves to come into our lives and use us.”

I turned to look at her. “Huh?” I repeated.

“You aren’t the only one he’s hurt.” She lifted her bangs, showing off a large scar that ran all the way from her forehead to her ear. “He did this to me.”

I gasped.

“But I didn’t have a knight in shining armor to fight for me like you do. I had to fend for myself.”

“I’m so sorry…”

She scoffed. “Sorry? Oh no. I should thank you for bringing those VanGuard swine right to my doorstep. Once they’re gone, London is mine for the taking. No one will be able to stop me. I’ll be sitting like a queen.”

My eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t you get it? I’m the one you should be scared of, not that pathetic excuse of a man,” she snarled.